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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28786239">a sailor by any other name</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyGem/pseuds/SkyGem'>SkyGem</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Childhood Friends, Ex-Marine Monkey D. Luffy, Gen, Marine Monkey D. Luffy, POV Roronoa Zoro, enemies to friends to nakama, meant to be platonic but could be read as pre-relationship if you want</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:49:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28786239</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyGem/pseuds/SkyGem</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Zoro meets Monkey D Luffy, he's a sulky eight-year-old dressed in a little sailor suit and an over-sized "Marines" cap slipping down over his eyes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Monkey D. Luffy &amp; Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Luffy &amp; Roronoa Zoro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>216</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey guys sorry for the lack of updates on my current one piece WIP's this past month or two! I've been busy with irl stuff and also a gift exchange fic. Chapters should be coming out more frequently in February. For now, I hope you all enjoy this short new fic!</p><p>As always, thanks so so so much to the best beta and hype woman, soccersarah01! Please go check out her fics if you haven't already!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time Zoro meets Monkey D Luffy, he's a sulky eight-year-old dressed in a little sailor suit and an over-sized "Marines" cap slipping down over his eyes.</p><p>Zoro is running some errands in town with Kuina when they see a towering old man dressed in a crisp white suit. His short black hair is peppered with grey, and despite the fine wrinkles lining the skin of his face, there's an undeniable power in the broadness of his shoulders and the thickness of his limbs. There's a long, flowing coat resting on his shoulders, denoting him to be a military officer, and an important one at that.</p><p>Neither of the two young boys flanking him on either side look particularly happy to be there, stomping after him with glowers on their faces.</p><p>Before Zoro turns to continue following Kuina on their way to the grocer, he manages to catch the eye of the younger boy, who glares fiercely at him and sticks his tongue out rudely.</p><p>A second later, the old officer who seems to be in charge notices his antics and snaps his head around, thumping the child soundly on the head.</p><p>"Ouch! What was that for, gramps?" the boy whines in a piercing voice that Zoro is sure can be heard all through the village.</p><p>"No antagonizing civilians, Luffy! As a marine soldier you have to-"</p><p>"He's not a soldier," the other boy butts in before he can even finish. "He's <em>eight</em>. Go a little easy on him, shitty gramps!"</p><p>The boys' grandfather turns to shoot a glare at the boy who had interrupted, and growls that, "It's never too early to start learning! If I'm going to raise you two into the kind of soldiers that will bring honour to our family, I need to start by fixing all those awful habits you picked up at Dadan's place."</p><p>The younger boy, Luffy, still nursing the new bump on his head yells, "We're not going to become marines, gramps! I'm going to be the <em>Pirate King!</em>"</p><p>Zoro snickers disbelievingly at those words, and Luffy's head snaps around to glare at him again, teeth gnashing angrily.</p><p>His grandfather reaches out as if to stop him, but before he can do so, Luffy launches himself in Zoro's direction.</p><p>Zoro has just enough time to fall into a fighting stance before the boy is upon him, and he's <em>still</em> almost knocked off his feet. Hand-to-hand combat definitely isn't his specialty, that much he can concede, but the fact that a child who looks to be a couple of years younger than him manages to almost subdue him so quickly <em>grates</em> at Zoro.</p><p>"Stop laughing!" Luffy yells in that shrill voice of his, winding up a punch aimed at Zoro's jaw, which he just barely manages to catch.</p><p>"Or what?" Zoro grunts, shoving the child off of him and slugging him once across the face with all his might. When the punch connects, Zoro is surprised to see Luffy's head fly back a few feet, his neck stretching in a way that definitely shouldn't be possible. He's so baffled at the ridiculousness of it that when Luffy's head comes slingshotting back towards him, he's not fast enough to dodge, and the impact of their heads colliding sends both boys tumbling to the ground.</p><p>He can hear Kuina howling with laughter somewhere nearby, the traitor, but his head is spinning dizzily and leaving him unable to retaliate. He shoves Luffy off of him, demanding, "What the <em>hell</em> are you!?"</p><p>Luffy sits up, all his anger from only a few minutes before now nowhere to be seen. Instead, his mouth is stretched into a wide, proud grin as he declares that, "My name is Monkey D Luffy, and I ate the gum-gum devil fruit! I'm a rubber man!"</p><p>"A devil fruit?" Zoro asks, brows furrowing. He had always thought that those were just myths.</p><p>Just then, Luffy's grandfather comes storming over, picking his younger grandson up by the scruff of his shirt. "Luffy, <em>what</em> did I just tell you?" he demands. "Apologize to this young man right now!"</p><p>"But grandpa!" Luffy whines. "He laughed at me when I said that I wanted to be the Pirate King!"</p><p>"That's no reason to get into a fight with him," his grandfather says. "Now, do you want another Fist of Love?"</p><p>Luffy pouts and crosses his arms, clearly unhappy with his situation. Nevertheless, he bites out a grudging, "Sorry."</p><p>Zoro doesn't respond, but the forced apology leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. </p><p>Luffy's grandfather nods in satisfaction before dragging Luffy away towards his older brother.</p><p>As they're going however, Luffy's disgruntled expression gives way to curiosity and he asks, "Hey! What's your name?"</p><p>Zoro considers for a moment if he wants to answer, before shrugging and deciding there's not really anything to lose.</p><p>"Roronoa Zoro," he says.</p><p>Luffy nods decisively, as if committing the name to memory. "You're strong, Roronoa Zoro!" he declares. "My name is Monkey D Luffy, and one day, you and I have to have a proper fight! So make sure you train and get even stronger, because it will be embarrassing for both of us if I beat you too easily!"</p><p>Zoro snorts, not bothering to answer.</p><p>Instead, he turns around and continues on his way, with Kuina falling into step with him and teasing him about being beaten up by a toddler. Zoro rolls his eyes and elbows her in the ribs, telling her to shut up.</p>
<hr/><p>The second time Zoro meets Monkey D Luffy, several years have passed, and he's all but forgotten about the feral rubber boy who had picked a fight with him all those long years ago (in the <em>before </em>times, when his best friend was still alive and Zoro's entire world had yet to be turned upside down.)</p><p>Zoro is fourteen, standing uncomfortably in a marine base, and shifting his weight from foot to foot, trying desperately to look more confident than he feels.</p><p>There's a pirate deposited in a heap on the floor in front of him, a rope tied around his midsection and still unconscious from their tussle earlier.</p><p>It's Zoro's first time turning in a bounty, and the dubious look in the marine's eyes when Zoro had slammed the wanted poster on her desk is still grating at him.</p><p>"And you're the one that caught him?" she asks, clearly under the impression that he must be claiming the hit for someone else, as her eyes travel slowly up and down his frame. He's a gangly thing, just barely out of a recent growth spurt and still yet to fill into his new height or the broadness of his shoulders.</p><p>He growls, frustrated, and is probably about to do something that will get him kicked out of the base and cause him to lose the bounty he needs so desperately to get more supplies for his ship. Thankfully, he's interrupted when a small shape comes bolting out of a doorway behind the marine he's talking to, vaults over her desk, and barrels headfirst into Zoro, knocking both of them to the floor.</p><p>Zoro gasps as all the air whooshes out of his lungs, and tries to ignore the sinking feeling of deja vu that descends on him as he sits up. He rubs at the back of his head, where he can already feel the soreness of a bruise forming. The person that had run into him is small, at least a head shorter than Zoro himself, and he has just enough time to wonder what the hell a child is doing in a marine base before the kid sits up, and their eyes meet.</p><p>Time slows to a crawl as the two of them stare at each other for several long seconds, and Zoro can see the recognition dawn in the other boy's eyes at the same time Zoro himself figures out just where he had seen this kid before.</p><p>"AH!" he yells, lips pulling into a blinding grin. "Roronoa Zoro!"</p><p>Zoro is begrudgingly impressed that the boy had remembered his name after all these years.</p><p>He grins sardonically. </p><p>"Future Pirate King," he says, to cover for the fact that he's forgotten the kid's name.</p><p>The boy giggles delightedly, "shishishishishi," either ignoring the sarcasm in Zoro's voice, or not noticing it in the first place. "Monkey D Luffy!" he says. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>Zoro raises an eyebrow, then pointedly looks past Luffy and towards the pirate on the floor behind him, whom Luffy had almost definitely trampled on in his rushed entrance to the room, if the man's pained wheezing is anything to go by.</p><p>Luffy turns to follow Zoro's gaze, then lets out a surprised little "oh!," as if he hadn't noticed the pirate's presence before.</p><p>"A bounty! You're a bounty hunter now, Zoro?"</p><p>The marine sitting behind the desk has stood up by now, expression baffled. "Luffy?" she asks. "Do you know this boy?"</p><p>Luffy grins back at her. "Yeah! He's a friend of mine!" he declares proudly. And Zoro might have protested that claim, if only for the fact that this is the second time he's even met Luffy, and the first time had involved a fight that had had to be broken up by Luffy's grandfather. He doesn't say anything though as the marine looks back and forth between him and Luffy, before she finally shrugs and steps around her desk to pull the pirate to his feet.</p><p>"Stay right there, Roronoa Zoro," she commands. "I'll be back with your reward in a moment. Luffy, don't you stand around too long, unless you want Commander Smoker on your ass for leaving your chores half done again."</p><p>Luffy just sticks his tongue out at her, declaring that, "I'm not scared of him! I'll do whatever I want!"</p><p>She rolls her eyes fondly and shrugs, as if to say that it's not her problem.</p><p>"Commander?" asks Zoro. "You're not with your grandfather anymore?"</p><p>Luffy groans and hangs his head. "Stupid gramps," he grumbles darkly. "He's too busy as a vice admiral to teach us, and he says that Marine HQ doesn't need any more chore boys, so he dumped Ace and me at this boring base and said that he'd send for us when we reach the rank of Ensign."</p><p>"Ace? Your brother?" Zoro asks, only vaguely remembering the other boy that had been there on the day they'd first met each other.</p><p>Luffy nods, and pouts. "Ace was sent to a different base last year already because he was promoted, and it's no <em>fair </em>because even though I train just as much as him, I'm still only an apprentice!"</p><p>Zoro raises his eyebrows. "How old are you, eleven? Twelve? The fact that you have a rank at all is already crazy enough. I didn't know they even let kids this young into the Marines."</p><p>"They don't," Luffy tells him. "I think usually you have to be fourteen or something? But I think my gramps pulled some strings or something because he really didn't want my brother and I to become pirates. And even then, they only let me join properly a few months ago. I was really excited because I thought it meant I could do fun training or fighting pirates or something, but so far, the only things they want me to do is chores and stuff."</p><p>Zoro snickers. "What was it you said last time about it being embarrassing for both of us if you beat me too easily in a fight? You better not be slacking in your training, chore boy. I've been looking forward to our next fight."</p><p>Luffy growls. "I'm not slacking! I'm going to beat you just as easily as I did last time, just you watch!"</p><p>"You didn't beat me last time either!" Zoro retorts. "The only reason I didn't wipe the floor with you is because I didn't have my sword at that time! You just wait til next time!"</p><p>He's just barely finished issuing his challenge when suddenly, there's a loud crash from somewhere else in the base.</p><p>Luffy jerks up, his head snapping in the direction of the noise.</p><p>"<em>MONKEY D LUFFY!" </em>roars a thundering voice, accompanied by thudding footsteps headed in their direction.</p><p>"Ah, shit, it's Smokey," Luffy curses under his breath, immediately bouncing to his feet with a rather nervous expression for someone who had only declared a few minutes ago that he wasn't scared of the man. "Bye Zoro! Great seeing you! Gotta get going!"</p><p>And with that, he dashes through a different door from the one he had appeared through, not even giving Zoro a chance to say his farewells.</p><p>Not even ten seconds later, an officer comes stomping into the room that Zoro's in. He appears to be in his late twenties, tall and broad-shouldered, with messy white hair and two lit cigars in his mouth. His features are pulled into a deep scowl, and when their gazes meet, even Zoro feels a bit nervous.</p><p>"What are you doing in here, kid?" he asks, voice surprisingly gentle despite the fierceness of his expression.</p><p>Zoro, suddenly starkly aware of the fact that he's still sitting on the ground from when Luffy had knocked him on his ass, immediately gets to his feet and coughs into a closed fist, trying to regain his dignity.</p><p>"Waiting for a bounty reward," he answers, not looking at the man.</p><p>"Hn, I see," the Commander responds, an approving note in his voice. "Did you see my brat come through here, kid?"</p><p>"Nope," Zoro lies.</p><p>There's a few moments of silence after his answer, and Zoro chances a look in the Commander's direction, only to see him staring back with an almost....amused expression on his face?</p><p>He shrugs, continuing on his way. As he passes Zoro, he reaches out to ruffle Zoro's hair roughly. "You keep yourself out of trouble, kid."</p><p>Zoro watches him go, amused. The man seems like exactly the right kind of guy to keep Luffy under control. Seeing his friend jump like a nervous rabbit had been rather funny, and a part of Zoro is tempted to come back for a visit some time in the future. It can't hurt, especially since the marines at this base will recognize him, so he won't have to go through the whole song and dance again next time he turns in a bounty.</p><p>(Unfortunately for him, he doesn't end up returning to this base again. No matter how much he tries. If anyone were to ask, he'd say that it was because the base just kept on changing places. Anyone who knew him well enough would tell you it was actually because he couldn't navigate for shit.)</p>
<hr/><p>The next time Zoro meets the boy who would be Pirate King, it's on a battlefield.</p><p>Only a year has passed since the last time they had met each other, and Zoro manages to recognize him immediately.</p><p>He's fighting back to back with a much taller marine, the two of them moving so smoothly around each other, they look like two halves of the same being. It had been over half a decade since Zoro had come across two sulky young boys trailing their grandfather back in Shimotsuki, but Zoro has no trouble immediately recognizing Luffy's older brother, Ace. He's broader in the shoulders than his little brother, built sturdier and more immediately intimidating. Despite this, he has the same open, friendly face as Luffy, eyes dancing with laughter and a mouth that looks used to smiling.</p><p>Unfortunately, they're in the midst of fighting Zoro's current bounty target, and making pretty quick work of the crew, by the looks of it.</p><p>Normally, having his targets poached before he could take them down would put Zoro in a pretty foul mood, but this time, surprisingly, he finds he doesn't mind all too much. Instead of storming off in a huff to drink himself stupid in the closest pub he can find, he lingers around, watching the two fight.</p><p>Luffy is too engrossed in the fight to notice him, but Zoro does notice Ace dart quizzical glances in his direction a couple of times throughout the fight, expression questioning. The third time this happens, Zoro just grins back widely and lifts a hand in greeting. Ace, still somewhat confused, flashes a mischievous smile back, and lifts a finger in a "just a minute" gesture, before continuing with his fight.</p><p>It takes the brothers only a few minutes longer to take down their opponents, and as Ace bends to tie their targets up, Zoro pushes off from the tree he had been leaning against.</p><p>"Monkey D Luffy!" he calls.</p><p>At the sound of his voice, the young boy immediately whirls around, surprise scrawled across his features as his eyes take Zoro in. Ace looks up from his task too, surprise shining in his eyes at the fact that Zoro seems to know his little brother.</p><p>"Roronoa Zoro!" Luffy crows in excitement, turning around and immediately running full tilt towards Zoro, an intense expression on his face.</p><p>Zoro, finally having learned from his last two interactions with the hyperactive younger boy, immediately widens his stance, bracing for the impact as Luffy practically launches himself into Zoro's arms.</p><p>"Long time no see!" he says with a laugh. "How're you doing?"</p><p>Zoro rolls his eyes. "I <em>would</em> be better, if only <em>someone</em> hadn't just taken down my target," he says in mock annoyance, poking Luffy's forehead with his index, frowning at the younger boy who's still got his arms wrapped around Zoro like a koala.</p><p>"Oh!" Luffy exclaims, finally letting go to look back at the pirates his brother is currently tying up. Then, looking back to Zoro, he grins sheepishly and says, "You're not missing out on much. They didn't put up a very good fight to be honest."</p><p>"It's not the fight I care about, asshole," Zoro counters. "It's the bounty."</p><p>"Oh, is that all?" Luffy asks, smiling wide. "You can have it if you want. It's not like we get any prize or anything for taking them down, since it's our job. That's alright, isn't it, Ace?"</p><p>This last part is aimed at his brother, who's finished with his task by now and is heading in their direction.</p><p>Ace frowns, smacking the back of Luffy's head and saying, "Don't be ridiculous, Luffy. You're a marine soldier, you know. You shouldn't be costing the government <em>more</em> money."</p><p>As Luffy starts whining about not knowing what the big deal is, Zoro cuts in.</p><p>"Forget it, Luffy," he says. "You really think I'd want credit for an enemy you took down? Just buy me lunch, and we'll call it even."</p><p>Luffy immediately perks up at the mention of food.</p><p>"Awesome! I get to spend more time with Zoro? This is the best day ever! You know, there's this really good restaurant in town that has the best food <em>ever!"</em> he says, babbling excitedly as he pulls Zoro in the direction of the town. "And even better, we can eat as much as we like, because I can just send the bill to the marine base. Isn't that the coolest thing ever?"</p><p>"Oi, Luffy!" Ace yells. "The food allowance isn't meant to be for non-marines! You can't-"</p><p>"I don't care!" Luffy yells back at his brother. "Tell Smokey where he can stick it! This is the first time I've seen Zoro in a long time, and today's my day off anyways, so there's nothing you can do about it! I don't care if you're my superior officer!"</p><p>There's a huff of exasperation. "Fine," he says. "But don't you dare come crying to me if you get demoted for taking advantage of your rank, Lu."</p><p>Luffy doesn't reply, instead electing to keep walking, flipping off his brother without looking back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks so much for reading this fic and be sure to let me know what you thought of it in the comments down below. Second chapter should be coming within the next week or so.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The lunch Zoro has with Luffy and his brother ends up being the last time he sees his friend for a long time.</p>
<p>The next time Zoro sees Lieutenant Commander Monkey D Luffy of the Marines, however, happens only a year after that fateful day.</p>
<p>He's in Loguetown at the time, relaxing after having just finished turning in a new bounty. There's a certain bar in this town whose food he really likes, and he always makes sure to go to whenever he's in town (which, unfortunately, doesn't happen as often as he'd like). The first time he'd been, he'd tried to weasel some booze out of the grouchy old man that ran the place, but had only gotten a bark of laughter out of the man for his troubles.</p>
<p>Zoro clunks exhaustedly down the stairs towards his favourite establishment, not even bothering to call out a greeting to Raoul. The place is always pretty dead at this time of day, which means that Zoro can throw himself down at the bar instead of tucking himself away in some shady corner, hoping that people leave him the fuck alone.</p>
<p>There are maybe two other people in the place when Zoro enters, with one middle-aged guy passed out at one of the tables in a far corner of the room, and what looks to be a rather young marine officer seated at the bar.</p>
<p>Raoul, who is talking to the marine in low tones, flicks his eyes in Zoro's direction when he enters the place, and acknowledges him with a nod before turning back to his conversation.</p>
<p>Zoro heads towards the bar, dropping himself exhaustedly onto a barstool and rearranging his swords so that they rest more comfortably at his hip.</p>
<p>With nothing else to do but wait, Zoro turns to study the young marine sitting a few seats down from him - he's short and slight, one of the youngest officers Zoro's seen, save for one other. And as the bounty hunter takes a closer look, he realizes that he <em>recognizes </em>the soldier sitting before him.</p>
<p>A wide smile stretching across his face, Zoro turns and braces himself against the bar, already expecting the enthusiastic greeting before he even opens his mouth.</p>
<p>"Monkey D Luffy!" he calls, and both heads turn towards him.</p>
<p>Raoul is staring at him with raised eyebrows, seeming surprised that Zoro recognizes the marine.</p>
<p>Zoro doesn't pay him much attention though, his focus instead taken entirely by his friend, whose smile is unexpectedly aloof when their gazes meet.</p>
<p>"Pirate hunter Zoro," he says by way of greeting, not making any move to get up from his seat.</p>
<p>Zoro is unprepared for the feeling of hurt that pricks at his heart from the cold greeting, and is quick to tamp down on it so it doesn't show on his face.</p>
<p>Instead, he smirks playfully.</p>
<p>"The future Pirate King, spending his free time in a run-down old bar named after the previous Pirate King?" he asks teasingly. "Isn't that a bit too on the nose, even for you?"</p>
<p>Luffy goes rigid at his words, brows furrowing in what looks like anger.</p>
<p>"Don't be ridiculous," the boy scoffs. "I am a Lieutenant Commander at Navy Headquarters. Likening me to a pirate is nothing short of insulting, and I would appreciate it if you would refrain from it in the future, Roronoa."</p>
<p>And then, without giving Zoro a chance to respond, he jumps to his feet and marches out the door without even a second glance in his friend's direction.</p>
<p>Zoro watches him go, cheek resting in one of his hands.</p>
<p>He looks ridiculously young like this, dressed up as he is like some kind of bigshot navy man. His long white coat pinned to his shoulders flutters behind him as he walks, and despite his small stature, despite his youth, despite the fact that Zoro's known him for most of his life by now, there's something intimidating about him in this moment.</p>
<p>Raoul sidles back over in Zoro's direction once Luffy's gone, curiosity showing plainly on his face as he asks, "Future Pirate King?"</p>
<p>Zoro shrugs noncommittally.</p>
<p>"Inside joke, I guess," he says.</p>
<p>"Didn't know you were in the business of making friends with marines."</p>
<p>Zoro side-eyes Raoul for a second, before answering, "I don't. Luffy's an exception."</p>
<p>Raoul grins at his answer. "Kid's always been a charismatic one," he grumbles fondly.</p>
<p>Zoro nods, still distracted. "Do you know if something's up with him? He never used to be like this."</p>
<p>This  gets an incredulous look from Raoul. "You mean you don't know?" he asks , surprise coloring his voice.</p>
<p>Zoro turns around, suddenly interested. "Know about what?"</p>
<p>"It's been all over the newspapers for the past month," he says as he turns and reaches for something behind the bar.</p>
<p>After a few minutes of shuffling around, he pulls out a paper, and drops it down on the bartop in front of Zoro.</p>
<p>It turns out to be a wanted poster, and when Zoro sees the familiar face gracing it, his eyes widen in shock, his eyebrows climbing into his hairline.</p>
<p>"<em>Fire Fist Ace</em>?" he asks. "Luffy's brother?"</p>
<p>Raoul nods. "I'm surprised you don't know yet, given your line of work. The boy defected a couple of weeks ago. He's running with Whitebeard now in the Grand Line."</p>
<p>"<em>Whitebeard!?"</em> Zoro demands, mouth gaping in surprise. He thinks back to his last meeting with the two brothers, to the polite, rule-abiding marine who had chided Luffy for taking advantage of his rank. "How the hell did <em>that </em>happen?"</p>
<p>"Now that's the million dollar question, isn't it?" asks Raoul. "All anyone knows is that he had a run-in with that fishman Warlord Jinbei, which lasted five days and nights. And next thing anyone knows, he's on the Moby Dick, with a brand new devil fruit power, and the ink not even dried yet on his Whitebeard jolly roger tattoo. Luffy hasn't been the same since; been complaining that the stuffy old coots from HQ have their eyes on him 24/7. Can't even take a shit without someone having something to say about it."</p>
<p>Zoro feels his face twist into a grimace, unable to help the anger that wells up within him on behalf of his friend. There's something deeply unfair about it, the fact that Luffy had been groomed to be a marine soldier since eight fucking years old, had had his entire childhood stolen away from him, only to be treated this way now for something that isn't even remotely his fault.</p>
<p>Raoul watches the way his hands clench tight into fists, his knuckles white with the force of his anger.</p>
<p>And after a few moments of consideration, he lets out a sigh of defeat and turns to take down one of his cheaper bottles of booze.</p>
<p>Zoro watches in dumbfounded confusion as Raoul pours a cup for him. He's 16 now, and the older man has always staunchly refused to sell him any kind of alcohol on account of him being 'little more than a child'.</p>
<p>Raoul doesn't bother to wait and see if Zoro will drink it, instead deciding to head into the back to throw together a plate of the typical greasy bar food that Zoro usually orders when he comes here.</p>
<p>Zoro coughs as he slams the drink back. The burn of the alcohol as it slides down his throat is almost enough to drown out the bitterness of the news he's just received.</p>
<p>Almost.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Two months later, Zoro runs into Smoker in some backwater little town, where no doubt they had both chased the same pirate to his little hiding place.</p>
<p>By the time Zoro gets there, the crew has already been taken in, but Zoro honestly couldn't care less. His attention instead hones in on Luffy's commanding officer.</p>
<p>He knows that Smoker is leagues stronger than him.</p>
<p>He knows that he doesn't stand a chance.</p>
<p>But that doesn't stop him from from launching himself at the older man with a wordless war cry, the frustration that had been quietly building up within him for the past several weeks finally boiling over.</p>
<p>Smoker manages to stop him without even breaking step, one arm going up to restrain Zoro in a smoky grip that he can't break out of, no matter how hard he tries.</p>
<p>"Roronoa Zoro," he grumbles in a perplexed voice, looking up at the bounty hunter with confusion, as if wondering why a bounty hunter of all people is attacking a marine soldier.</p>
<p>Zoro snarls angrily at him. "What <em>happened</em> to him?" he demands.</p>
<p>"Him?" asks Smoker, sounding politely bemused at the non sequitur.</p>
<p>"Monkey D Luffy."</p>
<p>Several unreadable expressions cross Smoker's face at the words, ending with a look of dawning realization as his eyes travel across Zoro's angry face, and he doesn't answer immediately, taking a few moments to think over his words.</p>
<p>"He was transferred to Headquarters. He's no longer under my command," he finally says, though the words seem to taste bitter on his tongue.</p>
<p>"They're making him <em>miserable!" </em>Zoro seethes.</p>
<p>"There's nothing I can do about it," Smoker responds, relaxing his grip on Zoro once he realizes the boy isn't an actual threat.</p>
<p>Zoro drops to the ground with a grunt. <em>"You were supposed to protect him!"</em> he yells, ignoring Smoker's underlings who had hurried to surround him, all brandishing their weapons.</p>
<p>Smoker waves them all away without breaking eye contact.</p>
<p>He kneels down in front of Zoro, and locks gazes with him, somehow managing to look apologetic despite his habitual scowl. "I'm just a Commander, kid. I can try to protect him all I want, but at the end of the day, there's nothin I can do against the top brass at HQ. The brat may be miserable there right now, but it's better than him being dead."</p>
<p>"Dead?" Zoro asks, voice quiet and dangerous as his eyes narrow to slits.</p>
<p>"There are other things going on behind the scenes that you don't know about," Smoker tells him. "His brother's betrayal was just the straw that broke the camel's back. And I know it's not fair, kid, but this is the world we live in. Right now, the safest place Luffy can be is at Marine HQ, where his grandfather can protect him much better than I ever could. It might take a while, but eventually things will calm down, and once the higher-ups realize that Luffy won't betray them, they'll lighten up. Things will be back to normal."</p>
<p>"You better be telling the truth," Zoro hisses in response, for lack of anything else to say. "If anything happens to him at Marine HQ, then you can bet I'll make you regret it. You, and every single marine responsible for the situation he's in right now."</p>
<p>He's practically bristling by the time he finishes talking, teeth bared in a growl and trying to look as threatening as possible.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the show of aggression ends up having the exact opposite reaction than what he had intended.</p>
<p>Smoker grins, wide and approving.</p>
<p>"You're a good kid, you know that?"</p>
<p>"I'm not a kid," Zoro growls at him. "And I'm serious."</p>
<p>Smoker's smile doesn't disappear.</p>
<p>"I believe you," the man says, standing from his kneeling position and turning away from Zoro.</p>
<p>Zoro watches him disappear along with his men, frustrated and unsure what to do with this restless feeling still roiling around in his chest.</p>
<p>Over the next few years, he sees Luffy a few times from afar.</p>
<p>He's sure the other boy sees him too, even if he never acknowledges him.</p>
<p>Zoro hangs back, and trusts in Smoker's words.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Zoro has been tied to this god-forsaken post for three weeks and he's this close to losing his damned mind.</p>
<p>The smug posturing of the marine captain's spoiled little brat <em>grates</em> at him. He knows that not all marines are like the ones at this base-</p>
<p>(<em>He thinks about a pair of brothers, fighting back-to-back. Their wild grins, their fierce joy even in the heat of battle. He thinks about their grandfather, who refused to spoil them despite being so much more decorated than this Captain Morgan - a tiny fish in a tinier pond.)</em></p>
<p><em>-a</em>nd despite his position as a bounty hunter, Zoro has never been particularly fond of marines, but even he can't help but be disgusted at the soldiers like Morgan, who give a bad name to the rest.</p>
<p>When he hears a strangely familiar laugh from the direction of the wall surrounding the marine base, he snaps out of his thoughts and looks at the source of the voice, only to do a double-take when he sees that wide, friendly grin he would recognize anywhere.</p>
<p>Zoro almost doesn't believe it's the same boy, at first. He's sitting casually on top of the wall, legs dangling, and that ramrod back slumped into a comfortable curve.</p>
<p>The usual marine attire Zoro remembers from the last time the two of them had met is nowhere to be seen. There's no sign of the long, flowing white coat usually pinned to his shoulders, none of his countless badges of honor. Instead, he's clad in a button-down red vest and a pair of denim shorts, frayed at the hem. His marines cap is nowhere to be seen, his usually neatly combed hair a messy rat's nest of tangles around his grinning face.</p>
<p>"Roronoa Zoro!" he calls out in a delighted voice, waving wildly.</p>
<p>The sudden surge of overwhelming <em>relief</em> that nearly overtakes him is surprising in its intensity.</p>
<p>Zoro doesn't even bother to hide the wide, wide grin that splits his face. </p>
<p>Theirs is a strange friendship, built upon fleeting instances of connection over the years, and Zoro can count the number of proper conversations they've had on one hand. He still considers Luffy one of his closest friends, and after his abrupt 180 in personality a couple of years ago after his brother had defected from the marines to become a pirate, Zoro had been so worried about him.</p>
<p>"Monkey D Luffy," he says in acknowledgement, delighted at this return to their strange little ritual.</p>
<p>"Still aiming to be the greatest swordsman in the world?" Luffy asks.</p>
<p>"Of course!"</p>
<p>Luffy's grin stretches wider and he nods in approval, as if he hadn't expected any different.</p>
<p>"Then join my crew!" he yells. "<em>I'M GONNA BE THE PIRATE KING!"<br/></em></p>
<p>Zoro barks out a laugh before he can help it, vividly remembering their first meeting all those years ago.</p>
<p>Back then, Luffy had wanted to fight him for laughing at his dream. Now, Luffy giggles and leans forward expectantly, as if he already knows Zoro's answer.</p>
<p>And Zoro supposes he shouldn't be surprised, that after all these years his friend is still clinging onto that childhood dream. The cold, aloof Luffy from the past few years feels almost like a bad dream right now, insubstantial in the morning light.</p>
<p>"Aye aye, captain!" he answers without even a moment of hesitation.</p>
<p>Luffy lets out a whoop of excitement at his words, and hops nimbly down to the ground. "This is going to be so much fun!" he chatters as he walks languidly over to Zoro. "Can you believe it, Zoro? We're going to be together! All! The! Time!"</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, just hurry up and untie me, you idiot," Zoro responds without even trying to hold back his grin. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a younger teen with pink hair drop to the floor on this side of the wall and follow after Luffy. His expression is hesitant and confused, unsure of what to do with himself.</p>
<p>"Man, these knots are so bad," Luffy says with a pout as he tugs at the rope in a futile effort to free Zoro.</p>
<p>Zoro rolls his eyes. "Hey, just because I agreed to be on your crew doesn't mean I'll forgive you if you ever get between you and my dream, you know," he says. "If you ever tell me to give up on my goal, I'll have you kill yourself to repent."</p>
<p>Luffy's fingers stop their fiddling for a moment, and he turns to throw Zoro a look of complete and utter confusion.</p>
<p>"Why would I tell you to give up on your dream?" he asks. "I'm going to be the Pirate King one day, so of course my first mate has to be the greatest swordsman in the world. Anything else will be embarrassing for me."</p>
<p>"HA!" Zoro laughs at the unexpected response. "And who said anything about being your first mate? I didn't sign up for that kind of responsibility."</p>
<p>"Well, who else am I supposed to choose?" Luffy demands as he goes back to fiddling with the knots. "My first mate has to be the one I trust more than anything! And since Ace already has his own crew, that means it has to be you!"</p>
<p>Zoro rolls his eyes, about to say something snarky in response, only to glare when he feels a sudden tug on the ropes around his right wrist. "Luffy, you're supposed to be <em>un</em>tying me. Why the hell is the rope tighter than it was before?"</p>
<p>"It's not my fault!" the boy replies childishly. "These things are so confusing!"</p>
<p>"What the fuck kind of marine are you, asshole?" Zoro snipes, earning a high-pitched whine of annoyance from Luffy. "Aren't knots and stuff the first thing you learn in training?"</p>
<p>"Don't call me that!" he complains. "I'm a pirate now! A pirate! Anyways, I was a captain before, I didn't have to know about these kinds of things! My crew did all of that boring stuff. All I had to know was how to fight, and give orders."</p>
<p>The other boy, who had been fluttering around nervously behind Luffy all this time is now gaping, open-mouthed.</p>
<p>"Luffy, you were a <em>marine captain</em>?" he demands incredulously, eyeing his friend up and down like he can't quite imagine it.</p>
<p>"Huh? Yeah," Luffy answers distractedly. "At Marine HQ. Anyways, hey Coby, can you help with his other hand? We gotta hurry up and untie him before anyone sees us so that we can go get his swords."</p>
<p>Coby hurries to do as he's told, asking, "But a captain at <em>Marine Headquarters</em> is one of the highest ranks! And you're so <em>young! </em>Why would you want to become a pirate if you were already such a high-ranking marine?" As he finishes talking, Zoro is delighted to notice that he's already finished untying the hand he was working on and has moved on to the rope around Zoro's waist.</p>
<p>"Being a marine's so <em>boring</em> though!" Luffy grumbles. "It's not like I ever actually wanted to be one! I knew I wanted to be a pirate ever since Shanks came to my home island and gave me his hat, but then <em>gramps</em> just had to go and drag me and Ace off for training when I was eight. By the way Zoro, we have to go to Dawn Island after this. My hat is still there at Dadan's place and I can't become a pirate without it. Oh, and I have to see Makino-san too! I haven't seen her in so long! She'll be worried when she hears that I've left the marines."</p>
<p>By now, Coby has gotten Zoro's body mostly free, and the swordsman reaches over to shove his struggling captain away to fiddle with the ropes with his free hand.</p>
<p>"I'm fine with that," he concedes. "Anyways, it's not like we can go to the Grand Line with just the two of us. We still need to recruit at least a few more crewmates."</p>
<p>"That's right!" Luffy agrees. "We don't even have a musician yet! Or a cook!"</p>
<p>"Forget about the musician for now," Zoro says, grunting as he straightens to his full height. Finally free for the first time in three fucking weeks, the swordsman starts stretching his body this way and that, trying to get the kinks out of stiff muscles. "Don't we need to focus on a navigator first?"</p>
<p>"Ah!" Luffy exclaims, smacking the side of his head with an open palm in a 'silly me' gesture. "You're right, Zoro! I forgot you were even worse at navigating than I am!"</p>
<p>"Wha-?" Zoro splutters, turning to glare at his friend. "I am not-"</p>
<p>But Luffy is already dashing off in the direction of the marine base, laughing loud and carefree at the top of his lungs. "That doesn't matter for now!" he declares. "First we gotta get Zoro's swords! I heard from Smokey that the guy in charge here is pretty weak, so it shouldn't be too hard. Oh, and there's this really good floating restaurant not too far from here that has the <em>best</em> food! Ace and I went there a few years ago!"</p>
<p>"Do you ever think about anything other than food?" Zoro demands as he takes off after his wayward captain, unable to hide the fondness in his voice.</p>
<p>Everything about him is bright and vibrant and rebellious, never the kind of man who could be happy taking orders from other people.</p>
<p>Monkey D Luffy was never meant to be a marine.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey guys, sorry this chapter took so long to come out, but I hope you enjoyed it! Please do leave a comment down below letting me know what you thought! I have a couple of other fics planned for this universe, so if you guys want to see more of it, be sure to stay tuned!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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